Headliners

South Carolina vs. Florida - The game

November 17, 1996|By Chris Harry of The Sentinel Staff

South Carolina linebacker Darren Hambrick made a bittersweet return to Florida Field on Saturday. ''I kind've sensed they miss me,'' said Hambrick, the former Gator who was dismissed from the team by coach Steve Spurrier for his part in the much-publicized 1994 New Year's Eve fight at the Sugar Bowl. ''We still got love,'' said Hambrick, who finished with seven tackles. Brother Troy Hambrick, who was also recruited by the Gators, rushed for 120 yards. The Hambricks, out of Dade City Pasco High, wanted to make their return to the Sunshine State a memorable one. They did the best they could, but came up short. Said UF tailback Fred Taylor: ''If they had 10 more Hambricks, they could probably beat us.''

With the victory, Spurrier became the all-time winningest coach in Florida history with a mark of 71-13-1. After the game, Spurrier and his team presented Ray Graves - Spurrier's former coach who went 70-31-4 from 1960-69 as the previous record holder - with a game ball. ''Obviously, I'm here at a different time,'' Spurrier said. ''Our coaching staff has more advantages than the earlier coaches here. I understand that. I knew if I was here long enough, I'd have a chance to win 70 games.'' Spurrier credited and thanked assistants Carl Franks (running backs), Dwayne Dixon (receivers), Bob Sanders (defensive ends) and Jim Collins (inside linebackers), all of whom have been by Spurrier's side during the 71 victories in less than seven seasons.

Terry Jackson made some headlines this season for playing on both sides of the ball, but against the Gamecocks, he was a superstar on special teams. First, he took a direct snap from his blocking-back position and raced 34 yards off a fake punt to set up a UF touchdown. ''We put it in Tuesday, and I was definitely ready to run it,'' said Jackson, who wasn't done. He opened the second half by blocking a South Carolina punt that was returned for a score. ''Everybody did their jobs, I just happened to get a hand on it,'' said Jackson, who has to be one of the most versatile players in the country - and one of the most humble. ''We've got a lot of guys who are capable of going both ways, not just me. It would probably be ideal for me to concentrate on one position, but in a team situation, you've got to do whatever you can to help the team.''

Since returning from a three-game suspension, Taylor has rushed for more than 100 yards in three games. His 139 yards against South Carolina were one shy of the career-high 140 Taylor rang up against Vanderbilt in 1994. For the season - seven games, split among three backs - Taylor has 80 carries for 513 yards (6.4 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. After the game, Taylor was asked whether he planned on skipping his senior season and making a go at the NFL a year early. ''No way,'' he said. ''I owe this school too much.''

Redshirt freshman and starting defensive tackle Reggie McGrew badly sprained his ankle late in the first half. Spurrier said McGrew would be re-evaluated today and that his status for upcoming games was unknown.

Thaddeus Bullard, the Parade All-America defensive lineman from Live Oak Suwannee, has passed his ACT and will re-enroll at UF for the spring semester. Bullard, 6 feet 5 and 251 pounds, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA Clearing House and had to gain a higher test score to qualify academically. According to Bullard, he'll wear No. 11 - Spurrier's once-retired number - as a reward for his perseverance and desire to be a Gator. Spurrier did the same thing for linebacker Ben Hanks in 1992.

The crowd booed South Carolina coach Brad Scott's decision to kick a field goal with 3 seconds left in the game and his team trailing, 52-22. Scott merely was trying to get some work for freshman Courtney Leavitt, who made the 32-yarder. ''I can't believe our fans booed. They actually acted like some of those fans at other places,'' Spurrier said. ''They don't need to be booing when we got a 30-point lead.''

Minutiae: UF's senior class is now 43-5-1, making it the winningest in school history. The class of '95 exited with a 42-9-1 mark. . . . Quarterback Danny Wuerffel became the 11th player in NCAA history to pass the 10,000-yard plateau for his career. . . . Florida's four sacks gave it a league-leading 38 in 1996. . . . The Gators tied a school record by rushing for a 25th touchdown of the season. One more will top the mark set by the '76 squad. . . . UF is 23-1 against SEC Eastern Division teams, including 22 consecutive victories. . . . The attendance of 85,701 was the second-largest crowd in Florida Field history. . . . The Gators, idle this week, will practice just twice as they look ahead to the Nov. 30 date with rival Florida State at Tallahassee.